Vajİnal Pİctures

Firmament


The sky has accompanied mankind throughout its existence, and its influence has been central to the intellectual evolution. Thanks to visual stimuli of this great cosmic space man became aware of the movements of the stars taking so her journey in the field of astronomy expanding its cosmic vision.
In pre-Columbian Mexico man also deepened his knowledge of this sky full of beauty but at the same time full of unknowns. Over the centuries, learned to develop techniques to learn the movements and periods of observation of the major celestial bodies. Was then able to generate a point in time to coordinate all its activities by creating a system based on a calendar is essential for the functioning of companies. This approach to the stars by man was the result of a Mesoamerican cultural sentiment that blames the behavior of the stars with the gods. Virtually
himself as the calendar as a gift given to man these deities in order to qualify.
Despite the many achievements of this prerogative by the astronomer-priests can be categorized as pre-Hispanic reliable scientific results. Acquaintances This was integrated with the development of some artifacts related to the stars, such as codes, steles, ceramics, wall paintings, petroglyphs and the architecture. Forms and guidelines that help to explain the ideological process of these civilizations. The study
archaeoastronomical focuses on these unique expressions. The Maya Code
example contains tables which are described observation periods of some planets such as the log of eclipse of the moon and sun. Results obtained with the patient as well as observation of the sky even complex calculations.


A practice that prevailed throughout the pre-Columbian era was the orientation of architectural structures along the directions defined by the events of the stars. As in other ancient cultures, they built pyramids and buildings oriented toward the solar disk on the horizon, the Cenital Paso (the step above the zenith of the sun that occurs in areas close to the tropic) or in the days of the equinox or the solstice.
structures were built even in these special days where you could see play of light and shadows.

In the past I have already talked about some archaeoastronomical Mexican sites where you could see these types of optical effects.

built structures were also aligned with other celestial bodies like the moon, Venus or the Milky Way that would allow to observe the movements and cycles.


Of these observers in Mexico if they know a few but there 'to say that our knowledge about these mysterious civilization is minimal. It also means that many sites are still in hiding while others have been destroyed with the arrival of the Spaniards.

I know that most observers currently in Mexico are as follows:


El Caracol Chichen Itza, Yucatan

Through its architectural elements, entry rooms, windows, niches, steps and platforms of its vertices , are the remarkable rise and set positions on the horizon where different celestial objects like the sun, moon and Venus during their trajectory. At the time of their construction is also indicated the position of other stars is particularly bright.

Building Circular de Yucatan Mayapan


Located in the last great Mayan city before the Spaniards arrived, the building has four entrances and alcoves with interior murals. Together signaled the position of the sun on days coinciding with astronomically important dates in their calendar that divided the calendar year in portions expressed in numbers.

Conjunto de la Plaza de la Estela de los Dos Glyphosate
Xochicalco, Morelos

The observation point is marked by a star at the center of the square corresponding to the calendar name of Quetzalcoatl. The day of the equinox the sun is aligned along the axis of this star. The ends of the platform also indicate the position of the sun in the days of the solstice. It is thus possible to use This observational also to determine the exact duration of the calendar year.

Cueva de Astronomical Xochicalco
Xochicalco, Morelos

A natural cave system from pre-Columbian astronomical-architects can not only calibrate the calendar year but also look at the Paso Cenital. In addition, the geometry of the observation room sat so extreme that the dates on which the sunlight penetrated the cave indicated the arrival of two important dates throughout Mesoamerica. These dates are April 29 and August 13. Given that divided the calendar year of their calendar.

Observatorio de Monte Albán Cenital the building
Oaxaca

His observation chamber has a vertical pipe of stone where they were recorded in the days of Paso Cenital Monte Albán. Inclusive dates of entry of the sun's rays meet at a temporal distance of 65 days before and after the day of the summer solstice.

Astronomical Cueva en Teotihuacan
Estado de México

This cave located in the south-east of the pyramid of the sun is nearly four feet deep. Inside is a plain stela and an altar. Depending on the thickness of sunlight enters the cave allows the register of the solstices and equinoxes as well as the Paso Cenital directly illuminating the stela is that the altar. This Cave observation was used to calibrate the duration of the calendar year with great precision.

Reference: 1 (pdf file)